Category Archives: Ecology

Google Goes Green

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The Associated Press released an article about Google by Bob Keefe this weekend that would make any socially conscious corporation blush. Among their many philanthropic agendas, supporting green research and energy appears to be at their forefront – literally. From the Googleplex’s garden to its garage (where each parking spot has a place to plug in an electric vehicle), Google is teeming with green goodness inside and out; publicly and privately. Above, co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin plug in under car port with solar panels! Last September, Google endorsed renewable energy research with $10 million.Read the article here!

Just one last happy comment about Google, an important note for this author, you can bring your dog to work with you!

Meet Eco Chic

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Earth Pledge Future FashionFashion Week in New York began with the Earth Pledge Creates Future Fashion Show, which included a hemp-based pant suit by Calvin Klein, a dress made of recycled cashmere by Michael Kors, and a Donatella Verace hemp-silk gown. Earth Pledge, a non-profit organization, which originally began as a United Nations committee and promotes sustainablity, produced the Future Fashion event.

So why is there a need for ‘green’ clothing? PBDE (flame retardants), synthetc dyes and fibers are one concern, due to the pollution caused by textile manufacturing. Even when cotton, wool, silk, or cashmere are used (all essentially natural fibers), they are often gathered using processes that harm the environment along the way, and then have to be transported all over the world for refinement and clothes production, and I’m not the only one who thinks this is a big deal. According to the Organic Trade Association, sales for organic fiber linens and clothing climbed to 203 million in 2006, up nearly 27% from 2005.”

I’ve told ya’ll before to ‘look at the labels’, so here’s a list of what to look for on clothing tags:
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Citizen Science: Backyard Bird Count

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Kentucky cardinal

February 15-18, 2008 marks the Great Backyard Bird Count – an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

And if you want help learning how to count… check out Wildlife Counts, a training program for estimating flocking bird population sizes. They say, “Gone are the days when biologists dropped handfuls of rice or beans on a table to simulate animal groups.” Interested? They have a free trial for use by professional or amateur bird watchers.

Also from the site, “Superior computer graphics resulting in screen images that are often difficult to distinguish from pictures”….. l was looking for a graphic for this post and came up with an image from Wildlife Counts that l thought was REALLY a photo of geese.

On a similar note: Since Christmas Day, 1900 (which is technically still the 19th century BCE), the idea for a Christmas Bird Count was introduced thanks to the inspiration of Frank M. Chapman, a innovative conservator and an early officer in the then budding Audubon Society. With the enthusiasm of twenty-seven dedicated birders, twenty-five Christmas Bird Counts were held that day.
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We PayPer Paper, Recycle and Save (The World)

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According to paperrecycles.org:

“In 2006, a record 53.4 percent of the paper consumed in the U.S. (53.5 million tons) was recovered for recycling. Paper recovery now averages 360 pounds for each man, woman, and child in the United States. “

The American Forests & Paper Association (AF&P) is proud of this feat, but paper continues to comprise more than 40% of waste created by Americans today, according to Carnegie Mellon University’s Green Practices site.  AF&P hopes to increase the amount the percentage of paper recycling to 55% by 2012.  This should be easy, since 86% of Americans have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs.  If you currently do not use a curbside pick-up, which costs around $2 a week, locate your local drop-off center.  If your office does not currently recycle, visit A Guide to Recycling at Work.  Finally, for easy to read recycling information for children, click here! 

When it comes to the financial end of things, if we could recycling 100% of our paper goods, we would be nearly doubling the life of our landfills, saving taxpayers millions…in dollars and good sense.

AfriCam: Just Like a Safari

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Check out the AfriCam, where you can watch live footage of the happenings at a watering hole. The webcam is located at a private game lodge in the Kruger National Park in South Africa.

You make also want to check out a YouTube video of a battle between a herd of water buffalo versus a pride of lions. Its a little long, but it has a good ending!

Green Options Turns One!

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Green Options

Happy Birthday, Green Options!

Superman

Green Options, that community of superheroes dedicated to environmental resources, education, and discussion, doesn’t have to fly around the Earth at an incredible speed, reversing our rotation and sending us back in time to make our reality better, cleaner and, most importantly, more sustainable. No, what the team at Green Options has been doing for us, while our beautiful planet revolves normally in the vastness of the universe for the past year, is combine together the expertise of a diverse group of talented individuals who are committed to ecology in the broadest sense.

There are many people to appreciate in the one-year-old GO project- from Publisher David Anderson and Senior Editor Jeff McIntire-Strasburg to the many blog writers and podcasters who activate their growing readership in amazing (and interesting) ways. The robust, link-layered posts bring us from our home garden to science class to Wall Street to the White House, with an eye toward internationalgreen trends, too. Don’t forget the kids on this trip!

Top Ten Again: Green Building Projects

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 This photo shows the lobby with its bi-fold doors open to passerby.

 The American Institue of Architects’ (AIA) Committee on the Environment holds a contest for the year’s Top Ten Green Projects.  You can see details of the last several years winners at their website.  This picture above is of the Carnegie Institution of Washington Global Ecology Center
(Global Ecology Research Center), a winner for the 2007 competition.  Some of its environmental aspects included reductions in carbon emissions during the building process and the with the materials used, as well as a focus in water use efficiency, and innovative ventilation and lighting systems throughout the building. If you or a freind have a green project you’d like to enter, there’s still time!  The deadline is February 14th.

Environet

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Installing the Greenbook application generates money through advertising, which is used to buy rice. So now we are doing our part for the planet :)

 In today’s internent-based world, there is growing (wink) awareness of the environmental impacts that technology creates.  Take Facebook’s Greenbook application for example: along with generating donations, Greenbook also allows friends to send each other free ‘trees’ Curvy Treeand has a ‘green ideas’ section where you can publish your own ideas and comment on others’. 

Another handy ‘environet‘ feature is the Aim bot, Liv Greene.  If you have AOL Instant Messenger, she may already be in your AIMBot Buddy List.  Here’s an example of a conversation you can have with her:

Eco-Rock (12:04:50 AM): Hi Liv, any Green Tips?

Liv Greene (12:04:50 AM): Tip: During hot weather, don’t top off your gas tank.  Even small gas spill adds to air pollution and wastes fuel.  Source: EPA  Learn More

10 Terra-Tips: Closet Edition

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  1. Look at the label: look for organic grown cotton and/or clothing made sustainably in the USA, like clothing at Patagonia’s website.
  2. Invest in quality clothing: REI provides a 100% warranty on their clothing – if anything happens to your polo fleece – ever – they will allow you to exchange it!
  3. Organize your overstock: donate clothing. Some consignment and thrift stores will allow proceeds from your donation apply to your preference of non-profits. Try Buffalo Exchange.
  4. Mend your old clothing: check out online resources if you need help.
  5. Shop at consignment and thrift stores: one stop furniture, clothing, and random junk stop, and you won’t feel guilty about buying a sweater for $3
  6. Care for you clothes: chose detergents that are low in phosphorous and hang (at least some of) your clothes out to dry. To make them last longer, always read the ‘care’ tags when ironing and washing.
  7. As always, buy local: try local boutiques – its a great way to connect with people in your city too!
  8. Detox: avoid scented detergents, dryer sheets and moth balls.
  9. Sustainable Organization: when remodeling your closet, use sustainable shelving materials. Stor-x, California, and Terra Cabinets.
  10. Appliances: When using a dryer, set it for just as much time and heat as needed. If you’re looking to replace your old washer and dryer, looking for EnergyStar appliances, that use less electricity and water per load.

10 Terra-Tips Take One: Kitchen

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Jeanne Besser, who writes for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, published Ten Ways to a Greener Kitchen this week. Here is a sum up of the article:

  1. Bye-bye bottles: invest in a water filter and refill a neoprene water bottle
  2. Buy Local: to reduce the need for shipping, buy produce from local farmer’s markets
  3. Dispose of Disposables: use washable china/napkins/silverware, NOT use paper goods (if you must you them, at least use biodegradable or recycled items)
  4. Banish Excess Packaging:buy in bulk and create small portions in Tupperware (yogurt)
  5. Paper of Plastic? – Neither (sound familiar?): bring cloth tote bags shopping with you
  6. Get a Green Thumb: plant herbs or tomatoes in small pots if you don’t have a yard
  7. Eat Less Meat: go meatless one or two days a week and be aware of where you’re meat comes from and what they eat [writer's note: animals break down nutrients very inefficiently, so you're better off eating the food they eat to gain the same nutrients]
  8. Use Appliance More Efficiently: use common sense; use a toaster oven when heating up something small and only run your dishwasher when its full [writer's note: appliances use electricity when they're plugged in, even if they're not on, so unplug 'em]
  9. Reintroduce Yourself to Your Stove/Oven: save gas, eat in
  10. Become Educated: learn about organic foods at www.georgiaorganics.org, www.ethicalchoicesprogram.org, www.sustainabletable.org, www.nrdc.org/health/foodmiles, www.nrdc.org/greenliving and www.vegecyber.com/others/about_vegetarianism.shtml.